Stupid Question: Single Team Squads

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john de terre neuve
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Stupid Question: Single Team Squads

Post by john de terre neuve »

Hi,

I should know this but I just wanted to check. For game purposes like the Soviets; the Japanese, US Armoured Rifle and the USMC squads have single team squads and are not broken into 2 teams.

Is this correct?

John
Morgan
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Re: Stupid Question: Single Team Squads

Post by Morgan »

And on exactly what dice result do they activate?

- For the Soviet "Rifle Platoon", we have "Squads One to Three", composed of a "Rifle Squad".

- For the American "Armored Rifle Platoon", we have "Squads One and Two", composed of a "Rifle Team".

I would have each of these activate only on a 2, regardless of the difference in wording (or on a 3 from the Junior Leader, obviously).

And, conversely, I would have the "Mortar Squad" from the same American platoon, activate only on a 1, again regardless of the name.
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john de terre neuve
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Re: Stupid Question: Single Team Squads

Post by john de terre neuve »

I do not believe that was my question, it is more do you treat US armored, Japanese and USMC squads as below.

From the FAQ:
Sections & Squads without Sub‐Teams
Whilst the norm for unit organisation in the Second World War was to break sections and squads down into smaller Teams to facilitate fire and movement, some nations simply did not have such sophisticated tactical doctrines. Good examples here are the Poles and the Soviets, both of whom considered the squad to be the smallest tactical unit. Where these sections or squads are fielded the following rules should apply:
 They suffer only one Shock when moving 'at the double'
 They require only one Team entrenchment for the entire Squad or Section
 They roll twice for hits from barrages
 They activate only on a Command Dice roll of 2. Any sub‐Teams, such as Scouts, which are split
off from the Squad will activate on a Command Dice roll of 1.
 The whole squad may be placed on Overwatch by their Leaders using one Command Initiative
I find it puzzling that CD's of 3 are not used (but maybe I am mis-interpreting the language above), I would think that a 3 would activate the JL and a 2 would activate the squad but this is what it says in the FAQ.

John
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Arlequín
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Re: Stupid Question: Single Team Squads

Post by Arlequín »

That does not mention Junior Leaders, so if the squad did not have one all that would be correct.

The U.S. infantry manuals do divide the rifle squad into two teams (three if you count the scouts), so I don't know why they are depicted as being monolithic... I've never read any Japanese or Soviet manuals, so I can't speak for them.

Image
FM7-10 Rifle Company 1944

The lack of sub-units in armored infantry might make tank-riding by 'half squads' (which they did) difficult too. 'Half Squads' as tactical elements are mentioned throughout the manual (FM17-40 Armored Infantry Company 1944).
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Seret
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Re: Stupid Question: Single Team Squads

Post by Seret »

john de terre neuve wrote:
I find it puzzling that CD's of 3 are not used (but maybe I am mis-interpreting the language above)
The squad itself only activates on a 2, but it can also be activated by a junior or senior leader using a command initiative.

Strictly speaking, no squad in the game activates on a 3, only leaders do so. But since the leader in question can only activate his squad that's sort of splitting hairs.

Basically the upshot is that you can't use 1s, and a leader can't use initiatives to get teams to do fancy things (because there ain't none).

If you want to create teams you can do so during the game, you just don't start with any.
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Emilio
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Re: Stupid Question: Single Team Squads

Post by Emilio »

The FAQ doesn´t say that you can´t activate a JL on a 3. You can do it indeed. And the JL can order the formation of an Ad Hoc team of two scouts, for instance.
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Re: Stupid Question: Single Team Squads

Post by Truscott Trotter »

The difference is the US is a single team so can activate on a 1 and can ambush.
The Soviets are a squad that activates on a 2 and cannot ambush.
Subtle difference in wording
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Re: Stupid Question: Single Team Squads

Post by Morgan »

Truscott Trotter wrote:The difference is the US is a single team so can activate on a 1 and can ambush.
The Soviets are a squad that activates on a 2 and cannot ambush.
Subtle difference in wording
That's fascinating - I hadn't spotted the "ambush" difference. Interesting.
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john de terre neuve
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Re: Stupid Question: Single Team Squads

Post by john de terre neuve »

Thanks all clear now.
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Re: Stupid Question: Single Team Squads

Post by Archdukek »

Worth keeping in mind that the American squad has the flexibility to spin off 2 men into a scout team and a 2 man bazooka team thus turning it into a 3 team squad.

John
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